As the long wait to Sherlock series 4 begins, we look back at the past three seasons in this Sherlock retrospective.

Following the airing of Sherlock series 3 finale “His Last Vow” in the United States, fans everywhere are already looking ahead to series 4 (and likely bemoaning their dedication to a television show that only has three episodes each series). And while Sherlock series 4 may premiere this Christmas, it doesn’t make the wait any easier.

Make sure to vote for your favourite Sherlock episode at the end of the article. Will your favourite make it to the top of the audience ranking?

Sherlock and Watson faced off against an underworld gang in “The Blind Banker.” After showing off Sherlock’s intellectual skills in the series premiere, this follow-up explored John’s life instead – and especially his love life. John’s desire to maintain some kind of personal life was portrayed in stark contrast to Sherlock, and at this early stage of their friendship, the episode was key in demonstrating their slow navigation towards understanding each other.

8.2×02 ‘The Hounds of Baskerville’

In an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous Sherlock Holmes story, “The Hounds of Baskerville” sent Sherlock and John to fight ghosts and hallucinations. The moor location allowed the story to be taken outside of London, and offered some gorgeous visual opportunities for the audience. But John’s fear and Sherlock’s self-doubt made this episode what it was, creating a mystery that was genuinely scary, rather than just tense.

7.5.‘Many Happy Returns’ Christmas special

The mini-Christmas special allowed Sherlock fans to check in with the various characters to see how they were managing after the supposed death of the consulting detective. While John struggled and Lestrade was just coping, Anderson was dreaming big. The short but enjoyable episode was a wonderful introduction to Sherlock series 3, and indicated that this was to be a more comedic series than the past two.

7.3×01 ‘The Empty Hearse’

“The Empty Hearse” brought series 3 back in an unforgettable manner. The sequences involving Sherlock’s fanclub and the many (improbable) solutions for Sherlock’s survival hilariously referenced fan theories, while remaining creative. Sherlock surprising John was unsurprisingly funny and emotional – and Mary was surprisingly wonderful. This episode was about Sherlock and John attempting to rekindle their friendship, and it provided a great jumping off point for the remainder of the series.

6.2×01 ‘A Scandal in Belgravia’

“A Scandal in Belgravia” introduced the modern version of Irene Adler, and she was certainly something to behold. The scenes between Adler and Sherlock are some of the best moments in Sherlock, if only for that sizzling sexual tension. This episode allowed for Sherlock’s sexuality to be addressed naturally, and ended with one of the most shocking (and yet in hindsight, painfully obvious) reveals of any episode.

The new Wizarding World logo is being billed as a way to reflect what’s going on in the franchise over the next few years, but it also reveals that J.K. Rowling is finally allowing others to dive into her creation.

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